Land Adjoining 51 Whitegates, Castle Combe, Wiltshire, SN14 7HQ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing having regard to the spatial strategy and accessibility of services and facilities
• Whether the proposed development would provide suitable living conditions for future occupiers of the proposed dwelling, with particular regard to outlook and garden space
• The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area

What decided it

The proposed dwelling would be located in an isolated position in the countryside without accessibility to services and facilities, resulting in dependency on private car use, which conflicts substantially with the spatial strategy and the Framework's sustainability aims, and this conflict is not outweighed by the modest housing supply benefit.

The conflict with Core Policies 1, 2, 10 and 60 (afforded substantial weight) and the significant social and environmental weight of the unsustainable location and private car dependency significantly and demonstrably outweigh the limited benefits of one additional dwelling and short-term construction benefits, such that the proposal does not represent sustainable development.